Will light rail cut into your local bus line?

Once the new light-rail Orange Line opens between Portland State University and Oak Grove in September 2015, you might no longer be able to take a TriMet bus directly from Oregon City to downtown Portland.

Because of the potentially duplicative service along McLoughlin Boulevard, TriMet officials are considering whether to make people who ride the bus between OC and Portland transfer to and from the light-rail line in Milwaukie. The possibility of ending TriMets current version of Line 33 is among several proposals being discussed.

Other bus lines in Clackamas County that could be affected include the 28 Linwood, 29 Lake/Webster Road, 30 Estacada, 31 King Road,, 32 Oatfield, 34 River Road, 35 Macadam, 36 South Shore, 70/75/152 (all with stops in Milwaukie) and the 99 McLoughlin Express.

Although forcing more people to transfer would be a downside to discontinuing parts of Milwaukie-area bus services, the transit agency is looking to save money and increase total ridership. MAX rides cost TriMet an average of $1.61 per ride, while bus rides cost an average of $2.68.

TriMets goal is to develop proposals for using limited resources to make bus service work efficiently with the new MAX line. A plan for changes to take effect with the opening of light rail is expected to be finalized in early 2015, and a longer-term vision for transit service in the southeast part of the region will continue through 2015, with the goal of producing a shared vision for future transit improvements over the next 20 years.